To Capture a Queen
by QueenOfDiamonds23
Summary: Love has always been an immensely difficult game of luck, strategy, and fate. The right cards, the turn of a die, or the correct move can change everything. And sometimes, risking it all is the only way to win. No Slash. A collection of connected one-shots.
1. Diamonds

**Author's Note**: I've read fanfiction for over a decade, but this is the first story that I've ever posted. I've always been fascinated by the pureblood culture, and in this story, the world of HP is likened to Regency England. This short story focuses on four young witches and the wizards who fight for them. This story is an alternate universe with some original characters. In a world without Voldemort, none of us can really say what any of these characters would have been like, but this is my take on them. If they seem a little out of character for you, that is why.

Thank you for taking the time to read and review.

**Chapter 1- Diamonds**

_Hyacinth Joy Potter Black/ Draco Lucius Malfoy_

Hyacinth Joy Potter Black blinked awake immediately as a giant ball jumped onto her bed, terrifying her out of her wits. "Orion!" she screamed, grabbing at her covers to maintain some decency. She didn't sleep naked for Merlin's sake, but a silk peach nightie was _**not**_ what one properly greeted their brother in.

"Good morning, sis!" Orion Sirius Black greeted, blinking mischievously up at her from the foot of her bed. He was, of course, already dressed in pressed grey trousers with a dark blue button-down shirt, white cravat slightly askew around his neck. He wore only a grey summer cloak with the Black Heir brooch, a gorgeous creation of pearls, sapphires, and platinum ivy entwined around a large Grim with a dagger in its mouth, attached at the neck. His black hair was almost artfully untidy though Hyacinth knew that he had spent at least 20 minutes on it.

Hyacinth glared at him, emerald green eyes burning with sleep and spite. "What on earth could possibly make you barge in here, unannounced, and wake me up at," she glanced at the silver clock on her bedside table, "8 bloody AM?"

Orion held her gaze with clear sapphire blue eyes that made all of the girls at Hogwarts swoon. "Well, it's your birthday of course," he said matter-of-factly, pulling a slim box out of the folds of his cloak. His gaze turned sly. "Unless you'd rather not have your present…"

Hyacinth's emerald eyes had lit up at the sight of the slim velvet box, but turned dangerous at his words. "Orion Sirius Black," she warned, pointing a finger in his face. "You give me my birthday present or so help you-"

Orion laughed, not at all daunted. After all, if Hyacinth had been going to hex him, she would have done it already. "Chill, sis," he chided, handing her the box. "I wanted to be the first to give you your coming-of-age present. Happy Birthday."

He watched as his sister (in all but blood) cooed over the pretty ribbons around the box, tugging at each one with precision. _'Girls,_' he thought fondly as the wrappings fell away. It was worth Hyacinth's wrath (for she had never been a morning person) to see her eyes light up and then tear slightly as she lifted the gorgeous diamond and sapphire bracelet out of the box.

"Oh, Ori," she gasped, holding it carefully. "It's beautiful! I love it!"

He reached over and tugged it from her grasp, fastening it around her left wrist with a quick snap. "I'm glad you like it," he replied sincerely, watching her 'ooh' and 'aah' at the sparkles that the gems made when they caught the light.

"I do," she said, hugging him tightly. She stared at the bracelet some more and then grinned at him. "Why are you dressed already?" she asked, placing the wrappings carefully on her bedside table.

Orion grinned. "Lots of things to do before, and here I quote the Daily Prophet, the 'biggest party of the century'," he replied, getting to his feet. "There's a ton of people coming here to celebrate the debut of the Girl-Who-Lived."

Hyacinth made a face at his use of that hated nickname. "Lovely," she drawled, throwing the covers off and getting out of bed. She stared at it longingly for a minute before sighing and turning to face Orion who coughed and blushed bright red. "What?" she asked, seeing how he was suddenly very uncomfortable.

Orion shook his head, completely mute, as he walked over to her large armoire in the corner of her room. He took out the matching peach silk robe and threw it to her without looking. She caught it one-handed and laughed as he walked out of the room muttering about how younger sisters should not own garments like the one she was wearing.

Throwing the robe around her slim shoulders and cinching it at the waist, she hummed to herself as she padded to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

* * *

"Happy Birthday, darling!"

Hyacinth walked into the bright, airy informal dining room of Black Manor to see her mother, father, and brother already sitting down to eat. Sirius was conversing with Orion about the finer points of the Puddlemere United vs. Holyhead Harpies game that had taken place yesterday, but glanced up at her entrance.

Hyacinth kissed Lorraine Black's cheek first. "Mama," she greeted. "Thank you." Lorraine Black nee Rinaldi was a French witch whose family had been old friends of the Potters. She had met Sirius when he had come with James on a visit to France many summers ago. Their bonding ceremony was held in the spring of Sirius's seventh year, and Orion had made an early appearance the following spring. When the Potters had died that fateful night, the Blacks had taken her into their home without question.

"Papa," she grinned, kissing his cheek fondly. She had never been able to pronounce Padfoot as a baby so the nickname Papa had stuck. It worked even better now because Sirius and Lorraine were the best parents anyone could ask for. She was quite fortunate to have such amazing people in her life.

Hyacinth's eyes took in her father's handsome rugged features from the crisp blue eyes to the ever-present smile. "Your hair is getting long again. We must cut it before this evening."

Sirius sighed and gave his wife (who was holding back a satisfied grin) a long look. "Happy Birthday, Hyacinth," he greeted as she sat down. "Did your mother put you up to that?"

"Why would she ever do that, Papa?" Hyacinth asked, forking some pancakes onto her plate. Sprinkling them with powdered sugar, she glanced up at him once more. "Your hair is getting long and long hair is hardly in style any more. I simply wanted you looking proper for my party." She pouted a little and inwardly grinned when his expression turned from guilty to resigned.

"I'll put it on the agenda for the morning," he said finally, unable to handle a pouting daughter on her birthday.

Hyacinth rewarded him with a winning smile and turned her attention to her pancakes. After a delicate bite, she chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. "Mama, you owe me those new _Christian Louboutin_ shoes," Hyacinth spoke up calmly, sipping her tea.

Lorraine smirked, mischief clear in her light blue eyes and as she put her own teacup down. "So I do, darling. So I do. We'll portkey to Paris this morning."

Sirius stared at them open-mouthed while Orion snorted into his breakfast. "Surely, you saw that one coming," Orion rolled his eyes at his father.

Sirius, for once, had no reply.

* * *

There was a light knock at the door before it opened and a gentle voice came floating in. "Hyacinth?"

"Come in!" Hyacinth turned around and barely had time to catch the blonde that rushed into the room. "Daphne!" She hugged her best friend tightly and took a quick peek at her robes. "You look spectacular."

Daphne Greengrass's silver satin dress robes caught the light at exactly the right angles, making her sparkle brighter than the jewels around her long, slender neck. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head and her violet eyes shone. "No, Hyacinth. This is your evening. You're the gorgeous one."

Hyacinth turned to look at her reflection in the mirror. Her pure white debutante dress robes looked like it spun out of dreams. Underneath transparent long-sleeved chiffon robes, was a silk chiffon strapless gown that hugged her curves with a diamond-studded corset before flowing out into a basket skirt that was made with layers and layers of silk and ribbons. Her long black waves were pinned in a careful up-do and secured with pearls. "I suppose I do look rather fetching," she said, almost as an after-thought.

A half-sob from the door made them both spin around. A girl with strawberry-blonde curls gathered tastefully in a chignon at the base of her neck walked in and hurried to hug them both. Her silver dress robes were identical to Daphne's- long, figure-hugging satin with a scooped neckline and train. "You look rather more than fetching," she said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Oh, Hannah," Hyacinth whispered into her friend's hair, giving her another hug. "You're going to make me cry too."

Hannah Abbott nodded tearfully, blowing her nose into the handkerchief. "You just look so grown-up. I can't believe that you're debuting. I swear it was yesterday that we were braiding ribbons into Orion's hair and stepping onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time."

"No crying!" A matter-of-fact voice interrupted their thoughts. "You'll smudge your makeup, and I really can't bear to hear the sound of crying after Parvati's whining all morning. My poor nerves!"

The three enveloped the last member of their quartet in a big hug. "I'm sorry, Padma," Hyacinth said sincerely. Parvati and Padma Patil may have been twin sisters, but they were absolutely nothing alike and it drove Padma batty. Luckily, Padma had her best friends to keep her sane, and it was a definite plus that they let her vent about Parvati as much as she wanted.

Despite their differences, the four girls were as close as sisters. They had remained solid friends at Hogwarts even when the four of them had been sorted into different houses. The four of them created quite a stir during their first welcoming feast when they had all sat together at the end of the Hufflepuff table (since Hannah had been sorted first) when the desserts had appeared. They had been inseparable since.

Padma waved her hand like the matter was neither here nor there. She stepped back from the group to give Hyacinth an appraising look. "You do look gorgeous," she said, smiling brightly. She lifted her own skirts with one hand and looped the other arm through Hyacinth's. "Ready to knock them dead?"

"Always," Hyacinth replied with an easy smile.

* * *

It was a rare thing to find Orion Black speechless. His mother said that he had inherited his unfailing charm and smooth tongue from his father, something that he was actually very proud of. However, he couldn't think of a single thing to say as he watched Hyacinth descend down the Ballroom steps with her Court surrounding her. They were beautiful witches, the four of them, each in a unique way. Watching them interact, he knew why someone (no one had dared to claim the moniker) had entitled them the 'Queens' of Hogwarts.

Hyacinth was the leader, a Gryffindor in that aspect- honorable, popular, and always willing to fight for what she believed in. Daphne, the 'Ice Queen', was as smart as she was beautiful and tended to be the sarcastic, realistic one. Hannah was the solid foundation of their group, always listening to every side of the story, never judging, and forever keeping peace. Padma was the voice of reason when Hyacinth and Daphne went into their moods and Hannah was unable to pick a side. Individually, they were strong. Together, they were nearly unstoppable.

Orion was unaware that his thoughts were running away from him until Hyacinth poked him in the side. Hannah and Padma tugged on either of his sleeves while Daphne draped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek softly, grinning when he blushed. It was a rather over familiar gesture for the Greengrass Heiress, but Daphne had always been able to get away with more than most.

"Daphne, darling," Hyacinth drawled, poking Orion in the side once more when he remained unresponsive. "I do believe that you've broken him."

Daphne snorted. "You speak as if that would be difficult," she drawled, pulling back from Orion and smoothing out her dress.

Orion blinked himself out of his stupor and flashed a cheeky grin at Daphne. "You wound me, love," he said, putting his hands over his heart and pretending to be in pain. "Your words cut deep into my soul."

Daphne laughed derisively. "I highly doubt you have one, Black," she muttered. Daphne folded her gloved hands in front of her and observed the ballroom with a haughty glance.

"There, there, Ori," Hannah said, patting his arm soothingly. "I think you are a lovely person, and you look extremely handsome tonight."

Padma nodded on his other side. "I'd rather not feed your already large ego, but Hannah's right," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"And you ladies look extremely beautiful," Orion returned with a charming smile, ignoring Padma's quip. "There is not a single person or object more lovely and stunning as the four of you."

"Flatterer," Hyacinth smiled, hitting him with her fan.

"Not flattery if it's true," Orion smirked back at her, tilting his head to the side. A few of the young women in the ballroom tittered and hid behind their fans.

"Oh very well," Hyacinth murmured, peering down at the large number of people gathering in the ballroom. "It looks like quite a crush down there."

Orion nodded, looking over his shoulder. "Yes, I've barely just gotten away from Lavender and Parvati," he said with a resigned sigh. "Please try and keep them away from me."

Padma laughed and started down the stairs. "Only if you keep them away from _me_. Trust me, I've had my fill of their giggling for lifetimes."

* * *

"Circe and Morgana, why are you hiding in this corner?"

Draco Malfoy looked up from his glass of champagne to stare at his cousin's dark eyes. "I'm not hiding," he managed to say in his usual drawl, eyeing the top of the staircase.

"You are quite clearly sulking behind a marble column," Blaise retorted, propping himself up against the pillar and blocking his view.

Draco threw him a withering glare. "Malfoy's do not sulk," he muttered, pushing Blaise out of the way and continuing to gaze at the vision in white silk that had just appeared on Orion Black's arm. Blaise followed his gaze and smirked, sipping champagne.

"You are completely lost my friend."

Draco gracefully side-stepped around him and moved to stand in the light. Orion Black was escorting his sister down the steps with the rest of the Court following just a little behind them as was proper. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"Suit yourself," Blaise shrugged. "But you know that you have your work entirely cut out for you."

It was unfortunately, true. While they had never been enemies, Hyacinth Potter Black and he had never been best friends. It honestly didn't help that he had been desperately in love with her since he was thirteen and the feelings had only gotten stronger as he had aged and his magic had matured. Hyacinth was not prejudiced against Slytherins by any means, one of her best friends was a Slytherin; however, he had no idea why she would choose him over any other.

"Who will they give her first dance to?" Draco questioned Blaise out of the corner of his mouth, his eyes still on the party. Orion Black was presenting his sister to Lord Sirius and Lady Lorraine Black at the foot of the stairs. Hyacinth swept into a graceful curtsey, which her father raised her out of, beaming proudly. Lady Black stroked her daughter's hair with fondness and smiled at her son.

"They will not want to show obvious favoritism so early in the Season," Blaise remarked. "Heir Black as her closest, unmarried, male relative will likely have the honor."

It was just as well. Draco wanted to know whom the Blacks were considering for their only daughter for they would be his competition; however, he wasn't sure if he would be discouraged after seeing the list. Hyacinth was the sole survivor of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. As such, she was Heiress to the Potter fortune and had one of the purest and oldest bloodlines to match. Her dowry was incredible and would have every fortune hunter sniffing at her skirts.

"Has your father already sent the contract asking for a marriage date?" Blaise asked in an undertone. They could hear the beginnings of the orchestra tuning their instruments. The ball would commence shortly.

"Yes," Draco replied, sipping his champagne. He had seen to it that all of the official documents and protocol had been observed. Father had taken one look at his son's singularly determined expression before signing the parchments without delay. His Mother had only patted his cheek and gave him a knowing smile. It was now up to him to win Heiress Potter's favor. Nothing was more important than this evening.

* * *

"What do you think would happen if I dropped you?"

Hyacinth twirled at her brother's wordless command and pierced him with an annoyed glare. "Don't you dare. I will never forgive you if you make me look like a fool during my first waltz."

Orion did not deign to respond. He only grinned and swept her up into the intricate dance. For all of his posturing, she knew that he would never follow through and make her coming-out ball less than perfect. In fact, she knew that he had even practiced to ensure that he would not miss a step. A witch's first waltz was a great honor, and Orion knew how important it was to her and to the family.

All too soon, Orion let her go, only to bow deeply before her. She swept into a graceful curtsy in response. "It was an honor, my dearest sister," he whispered. His magic, icy and powerful, washed over her as a blessing, before retreating. "I wish for only the best for you."

"Thank you," she replied, refusing to let the tears that pricked her eyes fall. Orion smiled at her and tucking her hand into his elbow, led her once again to their parents. The violins immediately began playing the next tune, a minuet this time, and the ballroom's dance floor was once again filled dancers.

"You are beautiful tonight, my love," Lorraine reached out to hold both of her hands in her own. "You have impressed everyone."

"I'll have at least a dozen more marriage offers for you by morning," Sirius scowled at the prospect. "You are far too stunning."

"Oh, Papa," she sighed fondly, savoring the moment. It was going to be one of the precious few remaining ones in her childhood home. This time next year, she would probably be married and living with her husband, her bonded partner for life. It was both a wonderful and terrifying prospect. Would she find someone who would love her and treasure her as her Father treasured her Mother? There was no doubt in her mind that he loved her more than anything in the world. And their powerful, compatible magic was intoxicating. Would she find such a match?

Despite being the youngest of the group, her magic had matured faster than her friends. However, there had always been something missing to stabilize it. Today, with her maturity, she gained a further sense that her magic was searching for something. Hyacinth could only assume that she would find it in the wizard who would complete her. A marriage bond was sacred amongst purebloods and not something to be taken lightly. The more harmonious the magic was, the stronger the bond. It was a gift to find true compatibility.

Before long, nearly every eligible male in the ballroom had solicited her hand for a dance. Heir Longbottom had been one of the first, one of her childhood friends. However, it didn't escape her notice that he kept looking over her shoulder where Hannah was dancing with Heir Davies. She smiled and did not say anything. The two of them would resolve it on their own terms. Heir Boot, Master Fawcett, and Heir Zabini were next. Blaise had said nearly nothing during their quadrille and had been smirking the entire time as if he knew something that she did not. Hyacinth decided she did not even want to begin to try and unravel the mystery that presented.

Blaise had scarcely left her side after bringing her back to her parents before she felt a familiar rush of magic right behind her. "Lord and Lady Malfoy," her mother said politely in greeting, touching Hyacinth's side to get her attention.

Hyacinth turned around and swept into the lowest curtsy of the night, gazing at the beautiful green slippers that Narcissa had donned that evening. Fingers lifted her chin and she was suddenly staring into the blue eyes that belonged to the Black family. "You have grown into quite a beautiful witch, my dear," she murmured with a warm smile. "You will surely make quite a catch this season."

"Thank you, Lady Malfoy," she replied, cursing her fair complexion when she felt a blush arise.

Lord Malfoy nodded in greeting, pewter eyes sweeping over her. She rose from her curtsy and forced herself to stand still under his assessing gaze. He must have approved of what he saw for he gave a half-smile, she doubted Lord Malfoy ever really _smiled_ in public, and he gestured behind him. "I believe that you know our son."

"Heir Malfoy," Hyacinth murmured formally, trying to ignore the tingle on the edges of her magic that she always felt whenever he was close.

"Lady Potter," Draco bowed over her hand and kissed it gently. "May I say that you look magnificent this evening?"

"Thank you. You look very handsome." It was true; he was dressed in resplendent formal dress robes in the Malfoy colors, green and gold. Underneath the outer robe, he wore a crisp white shirt with black trousers that were tucked into shiny black boots. An emerald green cravat was expertly tied around his neck.

"You're too kind," he smiled. Behind them, the violins began the opening chords of another waltz. Draco had held onto her hand a tad longer than polite, but Hyacinth had not even noticed. "May I have the honor of this waltz?"

"Yes," she breathed, beaming up at him. Perhaps it was time to figure out just why Draco Malfoy affected her so.

* * *

Draco couldn't keep the smile off his face as he led her to the center of the dance floor. Hyacinth slid her hand up his arm to rest on his bicep, and he wrapped his arm around her, drawing her closer to him. The scent of jasmines invaded his senses, and he longed to pull the pins from her hair and bury his hands in her long tresses.

Snapping his attention back to the dance, he met his partner's big famously green eyes. He could tell that there was something on her mind. "What is it, Lady Potter?"

She laughed. "Please. We've known each other quite long enough. You may call me Hyacinth."

"Only if you call me, Draco."

Hyacinth blinked once before her eyes shone with happiness. "Very well, Heir Draco. Are you enjoying yourself this evening?"

"Very much so," he murmured as he executed a perfect turn and they glided along. "I hope that your birthday has met your every expectation."

"Almost." Her response was a whisper that he barely heard over the laughing crowd. Her eyes flicked over to where her parents were standing before coming to meet his once again.

Uncertainty. He felt it deep within and longed with everything that he was to make that feeling go away and never allow it to cross her face again. "And what would you wish for to make it perfect?"

His magic reached for hers, and she felt it closer than ever. She had never realized before how much she reveled in it. His magic was strong and powerful and made her feel safe.

"It's silly," she said with a good-humored smile, attempting to clear her head. "I'm not sure you'd care to know."

"Lady Hyacinth, it is my sincerest wish to know everything about you," he replied with feeling. "I know that orchids are your favorite flowers and that you wrinkle your nose when you don't understand something in school. Your favorite dessert is treacle tart though you do not normally partake in sweets. You are a terrible liar, and detest when someone keeps secrets from you. You are beautiful in every sense of the word, and it would be a great honor if you would tell me you secret birthday wish for I will do everything in my power to see it done."

Hyacinth's lips had dropped open to form a little 'o' and her eyes were full of surprise, wonder, and another emotion he couldn't name. For a moment, he was afraid that he had overstepped his boundaries. He surely hadn't meant to confess all those things at once. But after the initial panic, dread began to seep in. Draco wasn't sure what he would do if she laughed in his face or slapped him for his directness.

In the end, Hyacinth did neither. She closed her mouth and gave him a soft smile, eyes shining as bright as the diamonds that he had secretly bought with her in mind. "I would dearly love to take a stroll in the gardens, Heir Draco. The moon flowers are particularly beautiful and have just started blooming."

Her magic caressed his with words that she was not able to say and Draco felt his heart soar. "As you wish, Lady Hyacinth. As you wish."


	2. Clubs

**Chapter 2- Clubs **

Padma Patil/Blaise Vincenzo Zabini

Padma closed her eyes and prayed that her headache would go away. Leaning her head against the closed doorway of her room, she took a deep breath and attempted to clear her mind. It was futile. The terrible conversation that she had had with her sister that morning kept floating through her thoughts.

"_You're so blind," Parvati hissed, her fists balled at her side. They had long ago stopped sharing a bedroom, but they still shared a mutual sitting room between their rooms. Parvati was standing at the entrance to her room, face twisted in a sneer. "You think that being better at me in school is going to help you? The only thing that will help you escape the arranged marriage that Father has for you is if you find your own bonded within HIS time restrictions and with HIS criteria."_

_ Padma had wrapped her arms around herself as if she could shield herself from her sister's words. "There's still time, Parvati. We can still find-" _

_Parvati's cut her off with a hard laugh. They had never been close after they started attending Hogwarts, but Parvati had never been this cruel. "With your social skills? Don't delude yourself, dearest sister. You'll be sold by the end of the year to the highest bidder. We both will be. " _

Parvati had been understandably upset. She had gotten in trouble once again with their parents for her sub-par grades. Their parents had compared them in everything that they had done since birth; Padma doubted that they would stop now. Padma was older. Padma was smarter. Parvati held more social grace. Parvati was the prettier twin.

The last one was impossible of course. They were still identical and no one could usually tell them apart unless they were at school. Being in separate houses had seen to that. Padma held back tears. It was so hard seeing Parvati's face, **her** face, sneering at her. It was like looking into a mirror and hating yourself.

Things had only gotten worse when they had come of age. Now, they could be married for wealth, family connections, or any other reason that their father could concoct. Both of them had significant dowries, but they were not a titled family. With so many Heirs and Heiresses in their year, the competition was a little ridiculous. It seemed that receiving a marriage bond proposal had driven the final wedge in between the two sisters that could not be resolved. A single tear fell down her cheek, and Padma swiped at it angrily.

"Mistress?" The familiar voice of her house-elf Niti came from behind her as if uncertain whether she should interrupt her or not.

Padma cleared her throat and whirled around, standing up straight. "See to it that my trunk gets to King's Cross, Niti," she instructed clearly, making sure her prefect badge was secured to the front of her robes. With a wave of her wand, there was no more evidence of her meltdown. With another wave, her make-up was retouched to flawless perfection. "I don't want to be late." She did not bother looking in the mirror before she left. She knew she wouldn't like what she saw.

* * *

"What's wrong?"

As luck would have it, she ran into one of her best friends immediately after exiting the fireplace at King's Cross Station. Hannah Abbott's strawberry blonde curls barely managed to pass the criteria for being up in a proper coiffure, and she was still dressed in summer robes of pretty, periwinkle blue.

Padma sighed. "I don't want to talk about it," she said, knowing better than to lie. Sometimes, she swore that Hannah was an empath, though the other girl denied it. Besides, lying would just make Hannah more worried.

Hannah tilted her head to the side and blue eyes firmed with resolve. Padma knew she wouldn't be able to get out of it now, especially not when Hannah told the others. "Maybe later?" she asked, tucking her arm in Padma's and walking towards the scarlet steam train.

"Of course," she responded, falling into step with her friend. They were about the same height so it wasn't too difficult to keep up. Hannah waved exuberantly at housemates and other friends while Padma's lips tightened. Sometimes, she wished that she could be as free with herself as Hannah was. They made their way to their compartment in the exact middle of the train. It had been theirs since first year, and it grown into something of a tradition. Padma stamped down the growing nostalgia of being on one of her last journeys on the Hogwart's Express. Where would she be next year? India? She couldn't even fathom.

She slid open the compartment door and was unsurprised to see Hyacinth and Daphne already seated. Hyacinth Potter Black had taken up her usual seat by the window, eyes focused on the latest edition of Witch Weekly in front of her. She was not wearing her school robes either; instead, she was wearing jade summer robes that complimented her eyes.

Daphne Greengrass was seated opposite Hyacinth's brother Orion Black with a chessboard set between them. Her long blonde hair, the envy of many girls at school, was in a perfect chignon and plum robes practically floated around her as she stood to give her a hug.

"Daphne," Padma greeted, giving her a squeeze. "It's good to see you."

"You too, darling." She allowed Padma to pass her so she could greet Hannah. "Why are you two so late?"

"Well, I overslept," Hannah admitted cheerfully, after taking a seat next to Orion. "I ran into Padma on the platform. Hello, Heir Orion."

"Heiress Hannah." The young man with black hair and blue eyes looked at her with a faintly amused expression. His gaze flicked upwards. "Ms. Padma," he greeted. "How are you both?"

"I'm fine," Padma murmured, taking a seat next to Hyacinth who looked up at her words. Hyacinth raised an eyebrow at her tone, but didn't say anything. Instead, she closed the magazine and tucked into the seat next her, giving them her full attention.

Daphne glanced at her from the corner of her eye, but shifted her attention to the chessboard in front of her. "Knight to B7."

"Well, it's a good thing that I was late," Hannah said, practically bouncing in her seat. "I just heard the juiciest piece of news."

"Do tell," Hyacinth laughed. "Engagement? Scandal? Murder? All three at once? Now that would be an amazing on-dit."

"Really, Hyacinth? Murder?" her brother snorted derisively. "Don't be ridiculous. Also, don't let mother catch you speaking of such things. It's hardly ladylike."

Hyacinth huffed and crossed her arms, pinning him with a stare. "As if you would dare tell her. I have enough dirt on you to make me look like a saint."

"Perhaps, yes. Perhaps, not," he replied nonchalantly, moving his rook. Daphne's bishop cut it down without so much as a 'by your leave'. "Ouch, Daphne," he grimaced. "Must you defeat me so soundly?"

Daphne smirked at him. "But, you make it so easy. Anyway, what were you saying, Hannah?"

"Well, Hyacinth was partly right," Hannah said, moving a piece of hair out of her face.

Hyacinth's mouth dropped open in shock. "About the murder?"

Hannah crossed her eyes at her friend, and Padma had to stifle a laugh. "No!" she retorted, before she amended, "Well, at least not yet."

"WHAT?" came the simultaneous cries in the compartment. Even Orion looked a little shocked.

Hannah flushed. "I hardly think that it will escalate to that level. There's talk that apparently Seamus Finnigan corned Lavinia Rosier last week in Diagon Alley and tried to- _ahem- _kiss her in the street."

Hyacinth hissed and Daphne looked outraged. Padma felt sick at the thought. Lavinia was a quiet, but pretty fifth year Slytherin who was betrothed to Heir Adrian Pucey. Despite the five-year age difference, it was still a love match. This scandal could very well ruin Lavinia, and Pucey would be unable to do anything about it.

Orion's eyes darkened in anger. "If it had been my fiancée, you wouldn't be able to find enough of Finnigan to fill a snuffbox," he remarked. "What did Pucey do about it?"

Hannah shrugged. "I'm not sure. Heir Lucas had been detained in a previous shop, but I believe that he came to Lavinia's rescue in time." Lucas Rosier was Lavinia's twin brother and heir to the Rosier fortune.

Daphne was still bristling. It was well-known that she was the undisputed Queen of Slytherin. You didn't mess with any of them without Daphne knowing about it. "I will have to visit with her to ensure that she is unharmed." She sent a glance at Hyacinth. "I can trust that you will take care of Finnigan."

What Daphne was to Slytherin, was what Hyacinth was to Gryffindor. No one crossed them and got away with it. Hyacinth shared a glance with her brother, who nodded. Orion would back Hyacinth's decision without question. "You can be certain of that," Hyacinth promised, retribution in her eyes. "The idiot is going to get more than just his eyebrows singed off if he continues with this abysmal behavior."

Padma cleared her throat, eager to get off the topic. "Is there any other news?" she asked Hannah who had slipped into her own thoughts.

Hannah looked pensive for a moment, before smirking. "Why, yes actually. Granger ruined herself to any marriage bonding offers."

Padma gasped, and noticed that Daphne and Hyacinth were equally appalled. To give yourself to a wizard before bonding was unthinkable. It was the ultimate disgrace, and marriage after such an event would never lead to magical fulfillment. Not to mention, a wizard could easily leave and bond with another witch. The reverse was not true. Even if her Father did end up arranging her marriage, she would still prefer it to the disgrace of marrying outside of a bond. "How on earth did you find out?" Padma asked, still trying to absorb the information.

Hannah wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I overheard Weasley speaking of the incident to Dean Thomas. I was at Flourish and Blotts where they were discussing it as if they were in a tavern."

Orion shook his head in honest frustration. "My dorm-mates have never been the brightest candles in the candelabra." He looked back to the chessboard in front of him. "It is unfortunate that they decided to not follow the old ways."

There was silence for a moment before Padma decided to put him out of his misery. She reached over him and moved Orion's bishop. "Checkmate."

Daphne who had lost interest in the game long ago, but had still known victory was hers, glared at her fiercely. "Padma!" she cried. "I had him!"

Orion burst out laughing and the mood was finally lifted. "Thanks, love. You are the best."

"Watching you lose to Daphne for the millionth time is just pathetic," Padma retorted, sniffing in disdain and looking at her watch. "It's like watching someone kick a puppy."

Orion simply grinned. "At least I'm a cute puppy, right?" he asked, giving her his best puppy face.

"You are revolting," Padma replied dryly, turning to Hyacinth. "We have the meeting to get to, Ms. Head Girl."

Hyacinth rolled her eyes. "They should have made you Head Girl," Hyacinth said, standing up to reach into her trunk and gather her school robes. "I'm just going to let everyone get away with everything."

"Too true, dearest sister," Orion said fondly, kissing her on the forehead. "Myself chief amongst them. I will take my leave now, ladies. Have a good rest of the journey."

They said good-bye and the door shut behind them with a firm click.

"Must we put them on already?" Hannah whined after a few minutes. "They're not very attractive."

"There's no need for you to get dressed yet if you do not desire," Hyacinth said, tucking her casual robes into her trunk. She made sure her Head Girl badge was firmly in place on the lapel before pivoting and glancing at her reflection in the mirror.

Daphne snorted and absentmindedly picked off a stray piece of fluff that had attached itself to the back of Hyacinth's skirt. "But still, better you as Head Girl than Granger. We would have never heard the end of that one."

"Definitely," Hannah nodded in agreement. "As it is, we have to hear about how she should have been prefect, and how she should be number one in our class..." Hannah's voice had taken a much higher pitch while she was mimicking Hermione with over-the-top gestures and facial expressions. Hyacinth laughed.

Padma made a disgusted noise in her throat. "Oh, please. It does not take **intelligence** to spout random facts learned through rote memorization. All of her essays are copied word for word from the book."

"We know, Padma," the three girls chorused, having heard this argument before. Padma had been ranked first in their class since Day 1 of Hogwarts, a fact that Hermione Granger was loathe to admit. Granger showed her displeasure by trying to out-do Padma at every turn, however impossible that task was. Padma never missed an opportunity to talk about Granger's shortcomings whenever the abominable girl was mentioned. But now in light of the newest gossip, Padma pitied her. She wouldn't have wished the fate of an unfulfilled marriage on anyone.

Padma was so caught up in her thoughts that she barely noticed Hyacinth dragging her out of the compartment. Hyacinth waved 'hello' to various people that they knew while Padma ignored everyone, and kept her eyes on her magically updating notebook.

Hyacinth had obviously had enough when she pulled it from Padma's hands. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with you or will I need to bribe you with chocolate?"

Chocolate was one of Padma's weaknesses, and Hyacinth knew it well. "Like I told Hannah earlier, I do not wish to speak of it here." Padma glanced around and confirmed that no one was close enough to hear. "I will tell you all later. In _private_."

Hyacinth's curiosity was peaked, but she nodded. Padma held out her hand for her notebook, but Hyacinth shook her head and continued walking. "Get your head of the books for a moment. Master Zacharias Smith is smiling at you."

Padma looked up abruptly to see the blonde 7th Year Hufflepuff looking in their direction. She smiled politely at him as they walked past. As soon as they were out of earshot, she shot Hyacinth with a long sideways glance. "He's too blonde for me, and you know he can be a pompous ass."

Hyacinth giggled and waved her hand like that information was neither here nor there. "He's _cute_. What on earth's the matter with you?"

Padma's look turned thoughtful. "Yes, I suppose he is, but is that all you and Hannah think about? Looks?"

Her friend sniffed dismissively. "Of course not. I look at their personality and social history too. Hannah looks at their family background and their friends. If you want numbers, bank account figures, and blood lines however many generations back, then you need Daphne."

How true that statement was. Padma didn't even know how her friends managed to accumulate all of the information that they had on all of the eligible boys in the school. It amazed her that they seemed to be able to recall any of the information on anyone, and she meant _anyone_, at the drop of a hat.

They stepped into the Heads/Prefects Compartment of the train and shut the door behind them. It was a much larger space, looking more like a lounge than a compartment. It would be able to seat all 26 people quite comfortably when they were all present, but for now the compartment was empty save for a lone figure reclining almost regally in a window seat. His posture was fairly relaxed, and he had one leg propped up to his chest. A book dangled lazily from his hand as he stared out the window, apparently lost in thought.

He turned and his blonde hair caught in the light. Silver grey eyes fell on her first before settling on Hyacinth. "My lady," he said almost reverently, standing at once and walking over to them. A genuine smile graced his lips as he captured Hyacinth's hands in his and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Good morning, Draco." Hyacinth blushed prettily, and Draco lifted her hands to his lips in another kiss. The enormous diamond engagement ring, his manifestation of magic, glittered on her left hand in the compartment's light. Saying that the Heir of the Most Honorable and Ancient House of Malfoy was engaged to the Lady of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter was a big deal was the understatement of a century. Their engagement had been the news of the summer and still all of the members of the aristocracy were talking about it.

Padma doubted that there was another couple's engagement that would receive equal press. However, what mattered to Padma was that the two were very much in love. Magic had indeed blessed them both, and she had never seen Hyacinth so happy. A pang hit her, but she pushed away the despair. She could be happy in an arranged marriage. She would have to be.

"Ms. Patil," Draco greeted her. It was a little belated; however, she couldn't fault him. The joy in Hyacinth's eyes was enough.

"Heir Malfoy," she responded with a curtsy. "I hope that you had a good summer."

"It was quite a bit more than satisfactory," Draco replied, looking at Hyacinth. "If you'll excuse us? I need to go over duties with Hyacinth." The Head Boy badge winked at her from the lapel of his robes when he turned.

Padma nodded and watched as they retreated to a corner of the room. She tried not to be jealous as Draco settled Hyacinth into a chair by the window and then took the seat opposite her, eyes never leaving her form.

"You are too good for, Smith."

The quiet voice startled her out of her skin. Padma blinked and turned around, only to come face-to-face with the one of the last people she would expect.

"And what would you know of it, Heir Zabini?" she forced her voice to remain calm although her nerves felt frayed beyond belief. How had he gotten so close?

Blaise Zabini's smile was mysterious and predatory. "I just happen to know that Smith would be ill-suited for you as a bonding partner." His black hair was short and combed over neatly. Deep hazel eyes watched her like a hawk and his Italian complexion was beautifully tan. If there was someone who could make the Hogwarts uniform attractive, it would certainly be him.

Of all the presumptuous statements! "I hardly know what you're talking about," she retorted. "And that's rather impolite of you to suggest that you know such a thing."

"My dear," the endearment was accompanied by a caress of magic that she had never before felt before. It was disorienting. "You could do with a little less polite."

"I beg your pardon!" Padma sputtered. For the first time in her life, she couldn't string a coherent sentence together.

Blaise smirked at her. "You can have that if you wish, and anything else you desire. I'd be more than happy to provide anything in my power."

She was unable to believe that she was having this conversation. She looked over her shoulder, but Heir Malfoy and Hyacinth were oblivious.

"Don't worry," Blaise drawled lazily, examining his fingernails. "I placed a notice-me-not charm on us. No one will even know that we're here." As if in proof of his statement, Hermione Granger, Hyacinth's replacement as seventh year Gryffindor prefect, came barging past them without a single glance.

He may as well have said that he had used a love potion on her. "I hardly believe that you know me so well to be a judge of my potential bonding partners," she finally said, addressing the issue at hand.

Blaise just continued to smile at her in that infuriating way. "I know a lot more about you than I think you care to know at the moment, Ms. Padma."

Padma drew herself up with dignity. "I have not given you leave to address me so informally, Heir Zabini."

"No," he replied as he walked away with a smirk, "But you will."

* * *

"I believe that you are sitting in my seat, Lady Potter." Padma gasped and looked up to where Heir Zabini was calmly standing next to Hyacinth's chair. They were currently in Dungeon 6 where the seventh years had NEWT potions.

"Am I?" Hyacinth asked amused, curiosity peaked. After a sideways glance at Padma who had yet to close her mouth, she tilted her head to the side and looked up at Blaise.

It had been a few days since Padma had spoken to Blaise on the train, and while she may have briefed her friends on her situation at home, she had neglected to mention her encounter with the Zabini Heir. She had tried to spend the last few days convincing herself that there wasn't anything to tell.

Blaise gave Hyacinth a winning smile. "Why yes. Ms. Padma agreed to be my potions partner this year."

Padma had said no such thing! Padma could feel Daphne and Hannah's wondering gazes boring into her back, but she could not bring herself to turn around. She continued to glare at him as if trying to figure out what he was up to. Blaise continued to smile as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Hyacinth looked from Padma to Blaise to Draco who was standing a couple of desks in front, and watching the scene with undisguised interest. "I'm sorry Heir Zabini, my mistake," she finally heard Hyacinth say.

"Hyacinth!" she gasped panicked, eyes pleading with her not to leave her. Hyacinth shrugged and grinned at her, before settling into the seat next to Draco. Blaise claimed her evacuated seat quickly and smirked at her glowering expression, before starting to unpack his bag.

"You owe me an explanation," Hyacinth murmured to Draco, watching the two out of the corner of her eye. She lit their cauldron on fire and brought out her knife set.

Draco laughed quietly. "I'm not even sure that I have any answers," he replied, staring up at the board and beginning to copy the instructions.

Hyacinth winced when Padma snapped her quill after Blaise began humming while he worked. Thankfully, for his sake, he was the one handling the knives.

* * *

Padma sighed with relief as she entered the quiet confines of the library. She had come down to her sanctuary to get away from the incredibly infuriating questions about Blaise Zabini that the girls had been pestering her with. How was she was supposed to explain it to _**them **_if _**she **_didn't even know what was going on? It had been a month since school started, and she was no closer to understanding the enigma that was Blaise Zabini than she had been when he first spoke to her.

She turned the corner deep in the back of the library where she reached the alcove that held her private study area. Every seventh year Ravenclaw was given one in order to prepare for NEWTS. However, she almost screamed with frustration when she saw who was sitting at the table. _Her table. _"What are you doing here?" she hissed, nearly throwing her bookbag at his head. She had never been prone to such violence before, but he brought out something in her.

Blaise didn't look up from his Charms book, scribbling something on the parchment in front of him. It looked like Flitwick's assigned essay about the combination of runes and charms for protection wards. "I'm studying," he replied, turning the page of his research material. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I'm not sure," she said through gritted teeth. "Why do you keep following me? What do you have to gain from this madness?"

"Will you sit down?" Blaise asked, ignoring her question as his quill continued to scratch across the page. "As much as you are beautiful when you're angry, Madam Pince will throw you out if you get too loud."

She almost wanted to ask him who's fault that would be, but his words sunk in. "You think I'm beautiful?" she asked, sinking into the seat across from him. She hated how weak her voice sounded just then.

Blaise looked at her and smiled, before turning back to his homework. "Of course, I do," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

When he didn't say anything else, Padma sighed and pulled her Transfiguration book out of her bag. McGonagall had asked for four feet on the Animagus transformation. That old cat. She was so absorbed in her research 15 minutes later that she didn't notice Blaise's gaze as he watched her work.

* * *

It had become routine for them. After dinner, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, she would find him at the library, and they would study in companionable silence. Fridays had always been dedicated as girl's night though Blaise sat with them at dinner during their usual evening meal with Daphne at the Slytherin table. Tuesday evenings, they had been assigned to prefect patrol together. While they were on patrol, they would talk about anything and everything. Padma knew that their patrol assignment had been on purpose though she could not prove it. Hyacinth denied any involvement and insisted that Draco had used magic to randomly assign partners.

Well, Magic certainly must have a sense of humor, she thought as she caught a third year Gryffindor hexing a second year Slytherin in a Charms corridor. 8 minutes, 10 points from each house, and a stern scolding later, she marched down the stairs towards the Great Hall in search of her partner. He was late. He was never late.

Thinking hard about how upset Hyacinth would be once she found out it was one of her lions, for she protected the younger years as fiercely as her own cubs, that had attacked one of Daphne's snakes, she almost ran into her sister who was coming up the steps.

"Hello, Padma," Parvati greeted, practically purring in delight. "It's so good to see you."

"Hello, Parvati," Padma replied impatiently. She needed to find Blaise or they would never get to their discussion about the newest alchemy work of Flamel's after they finished with rounds. Not to mention, she hadn't spoken to her sister in weeks, and she had almost started to prefer it that way.

Parvati pouted when she realized that she did not have her sister's full attention. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I have things to do, Parvati," Padma snapped. "Not everything revolves around you."

Parvati's smiled turned vicious. "Actually, some things do."

Padma rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for this right now," she said, moving to get around her sister.

Parvati's hand closed around her wrist in a vice grip. "You can congratulate me first, dearest sister."

"Let go of me, Parvati," Padma said, trying to pull away, but not succeeding. When had Parvati gotten this strong? "What are you talking about?"

"You may be the first to congratulate me on my engagement," Parvati said with a victorious smile.

"Engagement?" Padma gasped shocked, finally looking at the letter that was clasped in her sister's tight grasp. "To who?"

"Why Heir Blaise Zabini, of course."

"There has to be a mistake," Padma said, staring at her sister in disbelief. She felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart. How could he do this to her?

"No," Parvati replied, tightening her grip on her sister's wrist. "There isn't. Now I'd appreciate it if you stayed away from my future husband, sister. No one likes a third wheel."

* * *

It had all been going so well. Blaise raked a hand through his hair in frustration and continued to pound on Draco's door. Two weeks had past since the last time Padma has spoken to him. He had been late for rounds because his mentee Lucas Rosier had asked for his help regarding protecting his sister from people like Seamus Finnigan. It was a request that he had been unable to refuse. By the time he had gone to meet Padma at their meeting spot, she had disappeared.

He knew how Padma prized punctuality and reserved to apologize the next day, but she had avoided him at all costs. In fact, she had gone so far as to switch patrol with Hermione Granger of all people, and she was never in the library at night. In fact, the only time he ever saw her anymore was during class and even then, it was fleeting. She was always the last one in the classroom and the first one out. She had partnered Hyacinth in the last two Potions classes and wouldn't look at him. She couldn't possibly be this upset with him for being late, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. He was going to go crazy if he didn't figure out why soon.

"Why are you banging on my door so late?" Draco swung the door to the Head Boy suite open and barely managed to avoid a fist to the face as Blaise continued to knock.

"Draco, I need to talk to you," he said without ceremony as he marched through the door.

"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?" Draco repeated, staring at his cousin and best friend in disbelief. In all of their years together, he had never seen Blaise so, _undone._ "You're going to wake Hyacinth with that noise."

"What on earth is Hyacinth doing in your bedroom at this hour?" Blaise asked without thinking. "You didn't-?"

Draco's hawthorn wand was in his hand, and he had fired a curse at his head before his next breath. "How dare you imply that I would dishonor her so? How dare you imply that about her?" His cousin was furious.

Blaise ducked and the curse shattered a vase on the mantelpiece above the fire. Another curse aimed lower, and he dropped to ground. "Bloody hell! Draco! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"

"What on earth is all this noise?" Hyacinth came into the room with a heavy dressing gown over her nightclothes. Her wand was out, and she looked apprehensive.

"Apologize!" Draco snarled, pointing his wand at his head again.

"My lord," Hyacinth said quietly, putting a hand on his wand arm. "I'm sure your cousin was just confused as to why I'm here. It must look very improper from his point of view."

"He had no right to say such a thing about your character or mine," Draco intoned seriously, keeping his arm elevated. "He will apologize, or I will curse him where he lies."

Blaise sighed. Hyacinth's honor was more at stake than his and honor was everything to a Malfoy. His cousin had every right to be insulted. "He's right. I am sorry, Lady Hyacinth. I did not mean to imply unsavory things. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation why you're here in Draco's suite at three in the morning."

Hyacinth's lips twitched, but she inclined her head. "I accept your apology, Heir Blaise. I was studying and had a hard time falling asleep so Draco let me stay here. He was sleeping on the couch." She and Draco had a silent conversation, and he finally holstered his wand. When Draco had stepped away in a serious effort to collect himself, she turned to him once more. "That doesn't explain what you are doing here at three in the morning."

"I- I don't know what to do," Blaise stammered, standing shakily with one hand on the back of the couch. He suddenly realized he was staring at the only person that might save him. "I don't know where else to go. Padma won't even acknowledge me, let alone speak to me, and I have no idea what I've done to offend her."

Suddenly, one thing came to mind. "Unless, she has no wish to accept the marriage bond contract that I sent her father," his voice came out in a whisper, and he sank to his knees. That had to be it. After all that they had shared, she had decided against having him after all. The thought was enough to break him.

Hyacinth knelt in front of him ignoring Draco's muted protest. She took his face in her hands and forced him to look her in the eye. "You will be honest with me, Heir Zabini," she intoned formally, "for unless I am satisfied with the responses, you will be in very big trouble."

"Yes, Lady Potter," he whispered, unable to look away.

"Do you wish to be bonded with Ms. Padma Patil?"

"Yes." He had been trying to win her from the beginning, but it seemed that he had failed.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Will you protect her with everything that you have?"

"I will."

"Did you send a marriage contract for Parvati Patil?"

Horror grew in the pit of his stomach. "What? No! Absolutely not!" He wanted Padma, not her twin.

Warmth flooded back into her eyes and she stood. Draco was at her side in a second, hovering protectively. "I believe, Heir Zabini, that we can work something out."

* * *

Daphne's heels clicked on the stone floor as she stalked up the stairs towards the Ravenclaw Common Room. Students took one look at her and scampered out of her way. No one wanted to mess with the Slytherin Queen on a mission. She bypassed the main entrance and headed down a hallway to the right until she passed a bust of the Greek goddess Athena. The next portrait was that of the Judgment of Paris. She leaned forward and whispered in Paris's ear, "Atrox Fortuna."

She entered Padma's private room, squinting in the darkness. Marching over to draperies, she ripped them open allowing the fresh sunlight to come through. Then she went over to the mahogany four-poster bed in the middle of the room and violently yanked the sapphire curtains open too.

"Daphne!" Padma moaned, covering her eyes. "What the hell?"

"Get up," Daphne ordered, her tone allowed no room for question.

"Unless someone is dying, I am not leaving the room." Padma grabbed the covers and used them to cover her tear-stained cheeks. She was positive that she looked like a mess, but that's what happened when you didn't leave your room for three days.

Daphne tone was quiet, and she sounded like she might start to cry. "Someone might be."

Padma sat up, immediately alert. "What? What happened?" She stared at her and then looked around. Where's Hannah? And Hyacinth?"

Daphne sunk down next to her on the bed and stroked her hair. "Hannah's with Hyacinth. Something's happened."

"What's wrong with her?" Padma asked, struggling to escape her bed covers. Daphne grabbed her hand and held it. "Was she in a Quidditch accident? Madam Pomfrey can fix those in a heartbeat."

"Heir Malfoy has broken their engagement," Daphne said in a soft voice. "I'm positive Madam Pomfrey can not fix this."

Padma gasped in horror. "That's not possible!" she cried, finally extracting herself from her bed. Grabbing her wand from her bedside table, she waved it once and the room was immediately put to rights.

"We need you, Padma," Daphne whispered softly. "Hannah and I are not strong enough to stabilize her." Padma nodded decisively. First things first, they needed to take care of Hyacinth. Severing bonds was a dangerous and tricky business. The stronger the bond was, the worse the aftermath. Padma cursed in her head. Hyacinth would need the three of them to stabilize her and possibly Orion as well. If they weren't enough strong enough to contain her, then Hyacinth's incredible magic would consume her.

Padma threw open her wardrobe and grabbed her royal blue robes. She tossed them on without a second thought. Wrapping her hair around her wand, it twisted effortlessly and with a wave of Daphne's wand was pinned up in seconds. Make-up applied, she put her feet into the brand new pumps that Blaise had gifted her what seemed a lifetime ago.

"Where is she?" Padma followed Daphne out of the room, wand in hand. "And who do we need to make miserable?"

Daphne smirked. "She's in her suite. Go there now. Leave the misery to me. I'll be there shortly; I was on my way to get provisions."

She had allowed herself too much time to be selfish. One of her best friends needed her. This took precedence over everything. She had no idea what had caused the separation, but it must have been big. Nothing else could have separated a true bond. Padma was positive that they had one.

She pressed her palm onto the lion's head on the door of the Head Girl suite on the seventh floor and allowed her core magic to flow through her. A core magic signature was impossible to fake and was altered with any mind control so it was the one of the highest forms of security.

"Hannah? Hyacinth?" Padma hurried into the room and looked around. There was no one in sight in the sitting room. "Where are you?"

"They're not here."

Padma whirled around. Blaise was walking out of Hyacinth's bedroom, looking more handsome than she had ever seen him. His hair was tousled instead of combed, and he looked like he hadn't shaved in a couple of days. His hazel eyes were darker, wilder than normal, and they were focused on her.

"What are you doing here? Where is Hyacinth?" Padma whipped her wand and pointed it at his heart. "If you've hurt her, I swear I will kill you."

"She's fine," Blaise replied, putting his hands in front of him in a placating gesture and walking towards her as if she were skittish animal. "She's with Draco in the Head Boy Suite."

Draco? That meant… "Why?" she asked, not dropping her wand. "Tell me why you did this."

In true Blaise fashion, he did not answer her question. Instead, he got down on his knees in front of her, placed his wand at her feet, and held out his palms face-up. "You, Ms. Padma Patil, are worth risking everything for. I knew you deserved more than Smith. More than me. But I still offer you everything that I have, everything I am, and everything I will be. I offer you my life, my protection, my heart, and my soul."

Magic swirled in the room, and Padma could only stare as Blaise said the ritual words that began the betrothal period of bonding. His magic swirled around her and glowed, flowing back to his palms, and manifesting itself in a long gold chain. Rubies in the shape of clovers were spaced evenly along the chain.

"You once asked me what I had to gain by following you. I have everything to gain, and I everything to lose," Blaise whispered, voice raw with emotion. "I love you."

Padma had dropped her wand long ago to hang limply by her side, but at his words, it fell out of her hands. Tears pricked her eyes, and she reached forward with trembling hands to take the necklace from him.

She took a deep breath, closed her hands around the necklace, and said in a shaky voice. "I accept your offer, Heir Blaise Vincenzo Zabini. I will honor and protect your life, your heart, and your soul. I offer you in return everything that I have, everything I am, and everything I will be. So mote it be."

As the magic settled around them, Blaise stood up smiling. He took the necklace from her palms and placed it around her head, wrapping it around once.

"I thought you wanted Parvati," she murmured, fingers closing tightly around one of the rubies closest to her heart. No one could forcibly take the necklace from her, and it was hers. Just like Blaise's heart.

"A misunderstanding that has since been cleared up." He uncurled her hands and folded them in his own. His gaze held hers and she couldn't help the shaky laugh that escaped her. "You are so beautiful," he murmured.

"I believe you." And she finally did.


	3. Spades

**Author's Note:** My apologies for the delay. This chapter was a little harder to write than I had anticipated. Please be warned, this chapter contains a little bit more violence and stronger themes than the previous ones. I hope that I did these two characters justice.

Thank you to all who has read, reviewed, and added this story to their favorites. It really is an honor.

**Chapter 3- Spades **

Daphne Elizabeth Greengrass/Orion Sirius Black

Daphne Elizabeth Greengrass breathed in the cool, crisp afternoon air and closed her eyes. _Quiet_. Sweet, blissful, quiet. It was unbelievable how difficult it was to get some time to oneself lately. NEWT year was turning out to be more difficult than she or any of her friends had ever expected and with the constant whirlwind of engagements and fall parties, it was near impossible to just sit and **think**_**. **_

Snapping open deep violet eyes, she let out a very unladylike huff of air and watched it disappear. Her friends always thought it was rather funny that the proclaimed 'Ice Queen' actually loved winter. Reaching out a fox-fur lined, green-gloved hand, she caught a few snowflakes and smiled. The first snow of the season was always very special to her. Spring could never quite compare to the still beauty of winter.

Wrapping her fingers around the dying ivy that covered the railing of the bridge, she allowed her head to fall against the stone pillar and once again closed her eyes.

* * *

_December, The Previous Year_

"I expect you to make an advantageous match."Lord Nathaniel Greengrass stared out of the window of his study in Laurel Grove, the principal seat of the Most Just and Ancient House of Greengrass. "Your sister's marriage depends on yours."

Daphne fought against the desire to fidget, which she knew that her father would take as a sign of weakness. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her tightly. "I know that, Father," she murmured in as demure a voice as she could manage.

"Do you?" Lord Greengrass's voice did not increase in volume, but she could hear the biting quality that his tone had taken. He turned to her and pierced her with sharp, calculating green eyes. They had none of the warmth of her best friend Hyacinth's; they were more like jagged pieces of hard, unrelenting jade.

Considering how many times that she had heard this speech, she was extremely proud of herself when she managed not to roll her eyes. But she had learned the hard way, that you did not antagonize Lord Greengrass. She still had a few scars to prove it. They were not physical ones; Merlin knew that Lord Greengrass would never physically harm his children. However, Lord Greengrass was a master manipulator. Daphne had certainly learned from the best.

When Daphne did not respond, her Father set the glass of supremely aged Loomis's Scotch on his desk and advanced on her like a panther- slow and predatory, ready to strike at any sign of softness. "It was your mother's fault that I didn't have any Heirs to carry on our family legacy," he whispered when he was a foot away. "I got stuck with you and the brat that killed her."

She could feel the malice dripping off of him, and she tried for the millionth time to lock all of her emotions away in the tiny corner of her heart where she allowed them to reside. Daphne didn't flinch and focused her gaze a little over and past her Father's left shoulder.

It was hardly Astoria's fault that their Mother had died after Astoria's complicated birth. It was also neither of their faults that Nathaniel Greengrass had taken the loss of his beloved wife far too hard. Instead of nurturing the legacy that Catherine Greengrass had left him, he resented it. He resented Daphne for being an heiress instead of an heir. He resented Astoria for destroying the only relationship he had held dear. It was no one's fault except Fate's, but life was not always fair.

Lord Greengrass moved back over to his desk and picked up his glass once more. "Your match must ensure the continuation of the Greengrass line," he said, swirling the amber liquid. He didn't bother to look at her again. "You have one year from your seventeenth birthday. Do not disappoint me."

It was a clear dismissal. Daphne curtsied and turned around with her head held high. She didn't realize that she was holding her breath until the heavy mahogany doors closed behind her, and it was only when she was in the safety of her secluded room that she allowed a single tear to fall.

* * *

"Hello, Daphne."

Daphne's eyes shot open, and she took an involuntary step back away from the voice. The heel of her walking boots caught a stone that had been dislodged on the bridge, and she felt herself tipping backwards. Closing her eyes and bracing herself for a very embarrassing fall, she was taken by surprise when an arm darted out and snaked itself around her waist, hauling her forward. She felt herself slam into a tall, undeniably muscular frame. Daphne's hands latched onto an exquisite red and gold winter cloak, and her eyes darted up to meet equally surprised, but concerned storm blue eyes.

Well there was only one person in Hogwarts who had those magnificent eyes, not that he needed another stroke to his ego. "Orion! Let me go at once!"

Orion Sirius Black stared down at her, blue eyes shuttering into a suddenly unreadable expression. His short black hair whipped around his head in the wind, making it even messier than it had been to begin with. She knew that underneath the heavy, fur-lined cloak that she was still clinging to, he would be impeccably dressed in casual robes for the weekend. With his chiseled features, family history that could be dated to Morgana herself, and wealth beyond imagination, he was the definition of a perfect pureblood male. In fact, he was the catch of the season now that Draco Malfoy was off the market. A fact, which he well knew.

There was a quick up-turn of his mouth as the mischievous glint made its way back into his eyes. "You're making that a little difficult as you're still holding on to my cloak, love."

Damn. Daphne tried to calm her racing heart, and forced a deep breath into her lungs. She convinced her fingers to let go as she took a small step backwards and out of his arms. She missed the warmth immediately as he brought his gloved hands back to his sides. Daphne shook the image of her father from her mind and met his gaze once more. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, wrapping her emerald green cloak tighter around herself. Daphne was astounded to see that the sun had gone down considerably. How long had she been out here?

As if he could read her mind, he tilted his head towards the setting sun. "You've been gone for nearly three hours. Hyacinth and the others were starting to worry."

Daphne frowned. She had never meant to concern them, but she had just needed to get away. "How do you know I've been gone for that long? How did you know where to find me?"

Orion smirked. "We had Quidditch practice, and I spotted you standing out here by yourself."

Daphne stared at him incredulously. "How on earth did you manage that?" She turned to look over the bridge where she could just see the Quidditch field framed by the setting sun.

Orion gave her a bemused look. "Please, Daphne. I may not have Hyacinth's Seeker abilities, but I do have perfectly good eyesight."

She opened her mouth to retort that it would be near impossible to see from that distance, but she was unable to stop the shiver that passed through her body. It was at least 10 degrees colder than it had been when she first came out here, and the Warming Charm had worn off ages ago.

The laughter faded from his expression. "How stupid of me," he muttered, reaching up and unfastening the clasp of his outer cloak.

Before she could say another word, he had removed the cloak from his shoulders and swirled it around to wrap it over hers. Considering he was nearly a head taller than she (a feat considering she was the tallest of her group of friends at 5'7"), the cloak dwarfed her frame. He had just finished attaching the clasp at her throat when she finally found her voice. "Orion! I have no need of your misguided attempt at chivalry!" she said crossly, attempting to shrug off his cloak. "I am going inside!"

"Well, you have it regardless," Orion said with a tone that suggested finality. The tone of someone very used to getting his way. "Besides it's cold and you need it far more than I."

Daphne stopped struggling with the clasp for it wouldn't open and stared up at him with anger. "I am hardly a weak creature who needs saving," she hissed, grabbing the folds of the cloak and sweeping away regally with her head held high. "You would do well to remember that."

Orion stared at her retreating form and let out huge breath, watching it disappear into the sky. "I've never forgotten," he whispered into the dying light, pulling out his wand from the folds of his inner cloak. After a quick warming charm over himself, he hurried after her back to the castle, never allowing her to leave his sight.

* * *

"Daphne!"

Daphne had been so lost in her thoughts that she had barely noticed when she reached the safety of the Entrance Hall. She looked up to see her three best friends running to meet her. Hannah Abbott's baby blue eyes were filled with concern, and she was ringing her hands in front of her anxiously. The sleeves of her deep burgundy robes flittered around her delicate wrists. "We were so worried about you!"

"You were gone for hours," Padma Patil remarked, crossing her arms in front of her body. Her long dark brown hair was braided and pinned up neatly. Gold bracelets adorned her arms and matched the glittering gold and ruby chain around her throat. "You really should have told us where you were going."

"It's not safe to be out by yourself at night," Hyacinth Potter Black concluded, green eyes wide with concern. Her black hair was pinned up properly and secured with a gold comb decorated with emeralds and diamonds, another engagement gift from her betrothed. She embraced her quickly and turned her gaze up to the figure behind them. "Thank you for finding her for us, Orion."

Daphne had not heard him approach. In fact, she had lost track of the fact that he had probably been behind her the entire time. Regardless of what she had said, it was comforting to know that he had been there. His usually shining eyes were blank when he met Daphne's gaze, but the smile that he gave his sister was full of warmth and love. "Of course," he replied, holding out his arms to receive the hug that Hyacinth wished to bestow on him. The two of them shared a deep sibling bond, one deeper than even the one that Daphne shared with her sister. She did not hate them for it, but it still hurt that her family situation was not as perfect as she would like to be.

She must have spaced out again for Hannah tugged at the edge of her cloak. "Daphne! Are you well?"

Daphne forced a smile to her lips and nodded. "Yes, just a little cold," she lied, avoiding Orion's gaze. "I may have just been outside a little too long."

She could tell both Hannah and Padma could sense the lie in her voice, but both of them nodded. "Let's get you warmed up by the fire," Padma said decisively. "I believe that Hyacinth's room would be most ideal."

The Head Girl suite was one of the most private and secure rooms in the castle. It also boasted a beautiful sitting room that the four girls frequently took advantage of, especially since they were all of different houses and had no mutual common room. It was the perfect room to relax in, and as Daphne suspected, for their inquisition into her activities.

Knowing it was probably best to simply agree, she smiled her acquiescence. The ladies all said good-bye to Orion and as she moved to follow them up the grand staircase, she heard Orion come up behind her.

"Yes?" she asked, tilting her head and stopping on the step that she had ascended to. Daphne turned to face him and was startled to find him so close. He had stopped on the step right below hers so that they were eye-level, and he was watching her intently. Orion reached up and brushed a lock of hair that had fallen out of her chignon away from her face.

She held her breath as his fingers fell underneath her chin, right at the base of her throat. Before she could blink, he had undone the shining clasp that held the red and gold cloak over her shoulders. It fell away from her body, and she shivered involuntarily even though she knew she wasn't cold any longer.

"You should catch up to your friends," he whispered quietly, eyes never leaving hers. One hand clutched the cloak in his long fingers, and the other was buried in a pocket of his robes.

Daphne couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. So she fled up the stairs without a backwards glance, the scent of amber and cedarwood burned into her memory.

* * *

Four weeks. She had 30 days until she lost all control in her life and her Father could literally sell her and her sister to whomever he pleased. Normally, the Lord of the family had complete control over his daughter's potential bonding choices. However, as an Heiress, she had been granted some protection by pureblood law and customs. She had one year to bond with a wizard of good standing; otherwise control reverted back to her Father. The wizard she bonded with needed to have enough wealth and political collateral not only to protect her, but her sister as well. It narrowed down her choices considerably.

What was worse was that her Father knew that she did not have any offers on the table. The fact that she had not received a single bonding offer distinctly rankled on a personal level. Though she knew that she had created more than a few enemies with her 'Ice Queen' persona, she felt that her wealth should have made up for some of her alleged faults. It was probably very shallow of her to think that way, but she was at a loss. Was she so unattractive? No one really knew her well enough to judge, she was sure.

Daphne's quill shifted in her hand and made an ugly line straight across her Transfiguration homework. The ink blotted and spread immediately. She cursed in her head and stared at the four feet that she would have to start over. All she wanted to do was to put her head on the table and cry, but she had a reputation to maintain. So, she put her quill down on the table and pushed the parchment aside delicately.

Lifting her head, Daphne observed her surroundings. She was alone at a table that she had claimed in a prime corner near the alchemy tomes. From her vantage point, she could see nearly everything that was happening in the main part of the library. Finals were coming up and the teachers had been relentless in their assigned workload. Everyone else in the library was too preoccupied working on their various assignments to pay her too much attention.

Padma was studying in her private alcove with her betrothed Heir Blaise Zabini. They had offered her a spot at their table, but she had too many things on her mind. Daphne knew that Padma would pick up on her uneasiness, and she didn't have time for pity. Hyacinth was patrolling with Heir Draco Malfoy, her own betrothed, while Hannah was tutoring some of the Hufflepuffs in their Common Room.

Hyacinth and Hannah had been uneasy, but understanding about her situation. While Padma had been under similar circumstances, her Father would not have been necessarily cruel. Daphne would not be afforded the same courtesy. Her best friends had offered their aid in whatever form she needed. But, Daphne... Well, she just needed a plan.

Daphne needed to make a short list of the eligible males at school in order to succeed. The gentlemen needed to be pureblooded, preferably wealthy (though not necessarily as wealthy as her), and not titled so they wouldn't mind taking her name. After a cursory glance at a rather noisy Ravenclaw table, her eyes landed on the figure entering the library. Orion's black hair was perfectly ruffled, and he had even managed to make his school robes looking dashing. His tie was a little crooked, and she could see that the top two buttons of his dress shirt had been undone. A black leather school bag was slung over his right shoulder casually. He looked up from his entrance and his eyes caught hers. Orion made a beeline for her table, ignoring the giggles and tittering that had started upon his appearance. Daphne cocked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him when he came to stand by her side.

"Hey, Daphne," Orion greeted cheerfully, a tad out of breath. His eyes held that familiar mischievous gleam, and she knew that he had been up to something. "Can I sit here?"

"What are you running from?" she questioned casually, staring up at him. "And why should I hide you from it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied without flinching. Without waiting for a reply, he sat down across from her and started unpacking his books from his bag. "Also, I've been here for the last twenty minutes." He flashed her a smile and opened his Defense textbook to a random page.

Daphne tapped a red manicured nail to her lips and looked up at the ceiling as if lost in thought. "Hmm. Is that so? What's in it for me?"

Orion grinned and winked at her. "Ever the Slytherin," he replied fondly. He took out his quill with a flourish. "Name your price. I'll do anything you ask."

Daphne's eyes widened. Orion, while a Gryffindor, was one of the most Slytherin people she had ever met. Sometimes, she wondered if he had conned the Sorting Hat into putting him into Gryffindor. For him to offer that… "Anything?" she questioned. "An unnamed favor to be fulfilled whenever I ask it of you?"

Orion's eyes glinted, but he didn't flinch. "Done." A wave of icy magic, _his magic, _surrounded them, sealing the vow and Daphne couldn't breathe again. His features softened once more and he stared across the table at her ruined Transfiguration homework. "What have you done to it?"

Before she could protest, he had stolen the parchment away from her and whipped out his wand. Taking his quill, he drew several runes on top of the paper. The moment the ink dried, he waved his wand over the runes and the ink stain vanished from her homework.

"How did you…?" Daphne took her homework back, speechless. "Not even Padma knows how to do that."

Orion smirked. "Magic."

As the 'Ice Queen', she _should_ have rolled her eyes and hexed him for his cheek, but Daphne couldn't help it. She laughed.

Neither of them noticed a figure lurking the corner, hiding behind the shelves.

* * *

21 days, but honestly, who was counting? All of her efforts to distinguish eligible males seemed to be stymied at every turn. With the vast information network that the girls possessed, it should have been easy. Master Benedict Presto who had been a quiet Ravenclaw a year ahead her, had suddenly became engaged to Ms. Su Li. Heir Fawcett was out of the question, and she wouldn't touch Mister Stephen Cornfoot with a ten foot broomstick (even if she was desperate).

Heir Longbottom was 'suitable' for her purposes, but Daphne, while many would say otherwise, was not heartless. When Padma had quietly suggested his name, Hannah had remained motionless, fingers clenched tightly in her lap. Hannah knew that if Daphne set her cap at Heir Longbottom, she would undoubtedly win. That Hannah was willing to give up a potential love bond for her, made Daphne heart surge. _"No," she had said. "He is not suitable." _When Daphne caught Hannah's eye, she knew that she had set the Hufflepuff's mind at ease. Daphne would endure a lifetime or more of unhappiness for these women. She would never sacrifice their well being for hers. Of that, she was completely certain.

"You shouldn't play with your food," a voice chided lightly, taking the seat across from her. Daphne, in all honesty, had forgotten that she had been sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. She cursed herself for not paying closer attention to her surroundings. It was one of the first rules of being a Slytherin. _Never let your guard down._

"And you should have better manners," she retorted, staring up into steel eyes. "You should know better than to sneak up on a lady like that."

"My apologies," Heir Draco Malfoy said with a grin. He helped himself to a ration of bacon and some eggs while looking up and down the table for coffee. Seeing none, he snapped his fingers and a little house-elf appeared at his elbow.

"Master being calling Tipsy?" The house-elf was dressed properly in a green and gold toga embellished with the Malfoy crest depicting a fire-breathing dragon with a sword clutched in its talons.

"Tipsy, can you bring me coffee? Black, no sugar." Draco asked without looking at his personal elf. "I also need-"

The elf disappeared and reappeared with a steaming mug of coffee and an edition of the Daily Prophet. "Anything else, Master?"

Draco smiled and opened up the newspaper. "No, that will be all. Thank you."

Tipsy bowed low and disappeared just as Blaise walked up and settled into the seat next to Draco. "You both are up obnoxiously early," he said in greeting, grabbing some toast and buttering it up. His own house-elf Lupe dressed in red and navy appeared at his side with a cup of Earl Grey and saucer of milk. She disappeared immediately after Blaise nodded in her direction. "What on earth could be that important on a Sunday morning?"

Draco stared down at his practice Quidditch robes and gave his cousin a pointed look over his coffee. "Was that honestly a question?" he drawled.

Blaise sighed and looked at his watch. "I suppose not," he said, taking a sip of his tea and eyeing his cousin's coffee with distaste. "How can you drink that foul stuff?"

Daphne watched the byplay with an amused smile. While the girls were her best friends, Draco and Blaise had been her lifeline in the pit of snakes. Her female year-mates were very difficult to get along with, especially Lady Pansy Parkinson. Before, it had been bad enough that Daphne preferred a Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw, and a Hufflepuff's company to Pansy's, but it had been nearly unbearable this year when Draco and Hyacinth had become betrothed. She was calmly sipping her own cup of English Breakfast when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Her good mood evaporated when she saw who it was. "Good morning, Davis. Can I help you?" Daphne asked, fixing a polite smile to her face. Draco and Blaise looked in her direction and made to stand, but Daphne fixed them to their seats with a look. As gentlemen, the proper protocol would have been for them to rise when Tracey had arrived at the table; however, as Tracey wasn't a true _lady_ or even _heiress_, it wasn't necessarily impolite not to do so. Since Draco and Blaise had deferred their protocol and behavior to Daphne's judgment, they were basically stating that Daphne was currently the one in charge.

While Pansy Parkinson was an annoyance to deal with, she at least had the good sense to fall in line with Daphne's reign as Queen of Slytherin. It was a title that Daphne had held since third year when Regina Talcott had graduated. For Pansy, being in Daphne's good graces was worth more than the trouble it would be to oppose her. Tracey Davis had not learned such a lesson. Davis was an impudent half-blood who had absolutely appalling manners and attempted to use her _charms_ to get her way. Daphne knew that the other girl had no problems using her feminine wiles to achieve what she desired. It mattered not to Tracey that she would never be able to properly bond with a wizard.

However, what had secured Daphne's position was that she not only had the support of House Malfoy, but also House Zabini. Being a leader in Slytherin was more than just power; it was a way of life. Draco was the face of the King of Slytherin title and handled many of the superficial duties. Blaise held the title behind the scenes. It was an arrangement that worked very well for both of them and played to their strengths (Draco, the politics; Blaise, the clandestine activities). Tracey, not for lack of effort, had never managed to conquer either of them.

Regardless, Tracey had never stopped trying to overthrow her from her position. "I was simply inquiring to see how your marriage hunt was faring?" Tracey had adopted a sickly sweet tone, and what she hoped was an intimidating sneer.

"How impolite of you to ask," Daphne replied, not flinching. She gave her a level stare. "You must know that it's none of your business."

"Aww, that well?" Tracey smirked. "I mean with your sparkling personality, I don't know how you're fending them off!"

"Oh, I would say that I've had great success in keeping potentials at bay," Daphne said nonchalantly. "Better than you of course; but, then you've never tried to fend them off. You welcome them all."

The temperature in the room had dropped 10 degrees, but Tracey was hissing like a mad cat. "You'll end up alone, Greengrass," she spat down at her. "You'll regret-"

Just exactly what she would regret (this time), Daphne would never find out. At that moment, a figure plopped down on the seat next to her and slung an arm around her body, pulling her close. Daphne stiffened instinctively, but relaxed when the warm familiar scent washed over her. "Daphne, could you pass the bacon?" Orion asked, practically in her ear. "Morning, Heir Draco. Heir Blaise. What does a guy need to do to get a decent cup of tea around here?"

It didn't go unnoticed that he had ignored Davis. In fact, since it was now nearly 9 o'clock, half of the Great Hall was full and **everyone** noticed that Davis was getting snubbed by three of the most important Heirs in school.

Davis blushed crimson at Orion's entrance and clenched her hands into fists at her sides. She had tried her charms on Orion exactly once during their fourth year, and never again. Orion had humiliated her in front of the entire Great Hall in a way that he could in no way be blamed for (he used simple facts and had called her out on her honor) and thereafter had never tried to hide his disgust for her. It was hard to call Orion a bully for his actions because Davis had thoroughly deserved what she got. You never made an enemy of a Black. _Ever_.

After Daphne had passed over the bacon and Blaise's Lupe had gotten him a fresh cup of tea, Orion finally pretended to notice that Davis was standing there. "You're casting an awful shadow on the table, Davis. Did you need something?"

No prefix at all. Ouch. Orion was clearly not in a gaming mood. When Draco and Blaise pierced the dirty blonde with similar unwelcoming expressions (Draco's was unfriendly while Blaise's was downright dangerous), Davis was forced to curtsy hurriedly and retreat.

Five minutes of silence later, Daphne finally picked up her teacup again. "There was no need for that. I had it sorted," she murmured in Orion's direction. She grimaced slightly when the tea was lukewarm and set it back down.

Orion simply smiled at her and asked Blaise to pass the biscuits. "Quidditch practice today, Draco?"

"Yes," the blonde replied, putting aside the finance section of the Daily Prophet. "We have the final match of the fall season against Ravenclaw next weekend."

As the boys launched into discussion of Quidditch tactics (Orion was Chaser for Gryffindor), Daphne sipped her tea again. She blinked when she noticed the cup was warm. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Orion slipping his wand back into its holster. When she gave him a questioning look, he winked at her and turned his attention back to Blaise who had moved the conversation towards the topic of the professional leagues. Daphne sighed and settled to finish her morning tea, which was now at the perfect temperature. She ignored the fact that Orion's magic continued to hum protectively around her like a blanket all throughout breakfast.

* * *

"Edward Baltimore?"

"Too old."

"Lucas Rosier?"

"Too young."

"Philip Tindal?"

"Too round."

"Daphne!" Padma huffed, throwing down her list in exasperation. She rubbed a hand along her forehead. "Please try to be a little more open!"

The four ladies had gathered in Hyacinth's sitting room and were anxiously sorting through all of the information and contacts that they had in order to try and fix the mess that Daphne's life had turned into. It was a cold, almost bitter, December morning, and it matched Daphne's mood perfectly. With fifteen days to go, she was beginning to feel sick to her stomach. She had never been more out of her depth in her entire life, and she hated not having control.

Something must have shown on her face because Hannah shot Padma a look. "I know that this is extremely difficult," Hannah said, grabbing one of her hands and holding it tightly. "We'll find a way to fix this."

"You can't promise that, Hannah," she whispered, willing the tears not to fall. "You can't."

Hyacinth sat down on the couch on her other side and wrapped her arms around Daphne's waist. Tucking her head on top of Daphne's shoulder, she hugged her tightly. "We will," Hyacinth repeated. "Have a little faith in us. We promised you years ago that we would never let your Father hurt you again. We're not about to let him take you from us now."

There were tears in Hyacinth's voice, and Daphne could not bear to look. It would only start a chain reaction that none of them had time for. Daphne held Hannah's hand tightly in her left hand and reached down to grab for Hyacinth's with her right. "Thank you," she whispered, not trusting her voice to say anything further.

Padma cleared her throat and briskly picked up her list again. "What about Jonathon Wyndham?" she asked, peering at the next name. "He's neither young nor old nor round."

Daphne let out a choked laugh. "He just got engaged to Miss Caroline Dunbar, that fifth year Gryffindor."

Padma sighed. "How deuced inconvenient." She went on as if they were simply discussing the weather, and Daphne had to be grateful that she had these ladies in her life. Slytherins were not taught to hope. Luckily, Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs didn't believe in no-win scenarios. Ravenclaws? Well, she was positive that this one at least believed that there was a solution to everything.

There was a knock at the door, and all of the girls looked up. Daphne fetched her wand from inside her robes to freshen up her face while Hannah stood to get the door. "Hello, Draco," she said, stepping aside to let him through. "What brings you here so early?"

Draco tilted his head and moved a stray blonde piece of hair from his face. He had stopped wearing it slicked back long ago, and now he wore it short and neat. "Well, I came to collect, Hyacinth. She promised to practice with me today." He motioned to his Quidditch robes and to the shining Firebolt in one hand. The Firebolt had been a bethrothal gift from Hyacinth who had received much ribbing from her Gryffindor teammates. She had only blushed and retorted that she was trying to level the playing field.

Hyacinth blushed crimson and slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, Merlin. Did I?"

Draco rolled his eyes and leaned on his broomstick. "You forgot already? We spoke yesterday!" His tone was not angry, but that of a man who had already gotten used to a new way of life.

"I'm so sorry!" Hyacinth wailed. She hated breaking promises more than she hated lying. "I've been preoccupied." Hyacinth looked from Daphne to Draco as she stood, unsure of what to do.

Draco wasn't stupid or slow and caught the glance. He also caught the slight redness to Hyacinth's eyes and knew immediately something was wrong. "It's no matter," Draco started to say, looking at his watch. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Four voices came at him at once and Draco's eyes narrowed.

Leaning his broom against the back of the loveseat, he crossed his arms and stared. "Are you sure there's nothing that I can't help with?" He pinned Hyacinth with a look, and she fidgeted under his gaze.

"Yes," they all chorused again, without looking at each other. Daphne had made the girls promise that this problem would stay between them alone. While she knew that Draco and Blaise would do anything that they could to help her- indeed, they may even have some valuable insight; this was one thing that women needed to handle on their own. Not to mention, she was completely mortified by the whole predicament.

Draco tapped his boot and stared at them again. When none of them said anything, he sighed. "Is it serious?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes," Daphne answered, looking up into the grey eyes of one of her first friends. "It's very serious."

"You would tell me if there was anything I could do to help, wouldn't you?"

As a last resort? Yes. Daphne nodded. "Of course."

Draco stared at her searchingly and finally nodded in return. "Very well." He picked up his broom and made to leave the room. "I'll take my leave then. Hyacinth, we'll speak later."

Hyacinth's eyes darted from her fiancé to Daphne as if uncertain what the correct social cue was. Irony, considering she was better versed in social etiquette than all of them. Daphne laughed and made a shooing motion with her hand. "Go, Hyacinth. I will still be here when you get back. You're hardly likely to stay out long in this cold anyway."

Draco had stopped in his tracks while Hyacinth looked at her wide-eyed and opened her mouth. Daphne cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Go! I need a break anyway."

"Just a minute!" she said in Draco's direction as she turned and fled into her bedroom.

Hannah and Padma looked at each other. "Do you want to grab breakfast?" Padma asked Daphne. She had hidden the scroll of names upon Draco's entry, and Daphne knew it would be safe. She shook her head in response to the question and gathered her skirts when she stood. "I think I'll take a walk and then a nap. You go ahead. I'll meet you later."

They nodded, knowing that she probably just wanted a little space. "Do you need me to walk you back to the Common Room?" Draco offered. "I can come back for Hyacinth."

Daphne gave him a small smile and grasped his proffered hand tightly. "It's not necessary." She headed out of the room and lost herself in the walk down to Slytherin common room. She wasn't in any particular hurry. After all, there was only so much she could do. Daphne wasn't giving up per se, but she honestly didn't see a way out of this one. So she was going to enjoy the time that she had left. So lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice that her feet took her to the abandoned third floor corridor. Before a giant Cerberus destroyed it back in first year, it had been the old Transfiguration hallway. Now it lay collecting dust as no one ever came to this area of the castle.

She was just about to peek into what used to be McGonagall's seventh year NEWT classroom when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around with a gasp, blood pounding in her ears. Daphne's wand was in her hand before she could blink.

"Whoa! It's just me." Orion stood before her, hands raised up in front of him in surrender. This morning he was dressed in casual winter robes of deep blue that matched his eyes, and his hair was perfectly untidy (as always).

Daphne struggled to control her breath. "You scared me!" she said, letting her wand fall to her side. "Why on earth do you keep sneaking up on me like that?"

Orion grinned. "Sneaking? I would never." He placed his hands behind his back and stood tall in front of her. She hated how he never seemed to have a care in the world, but then, she didn't see why he would. He was currently the most eligible bachelor in Hogwarts, with the looks and pedigree to boot. He had a wonderful family; his parents and sibling loved him unconditionally. He was Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He made people laugh, and they genuinely adored him. Even she was hard pressed to find a fault in him…

"You're thinking too hard. You know that will give you wrinkles prematurely."

_On second thought_… Daphne snapped back to the present to scowl at him. "If I get wrinkles, it will be entirely your fault," she said, pressing a finger into his chest and poking.

Orion's eyes widened. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked in a fake hurt voice. He pressed his hands together in front of his chest in a pleading gesture. "Please forgive me for whatever egregious error I have committed."

Daphne was about smack him for his playfulness when she caught sight of his hands- more specifically, the bruises and lacerations that were on his knuckles. "Orion!" she gasped, grabbing one of them and trying to pull it closer to her. "What happened?"

"This?" Orion pulled his hand from her grasp and tucked it into the pocket of his robes as quickly as he could. "Oh, it's nothing."

"Like **hell** it's nothing!" she exclaimed, pulling at his arm until he finally allowed his arm to be tugged from his robes. Daphne examined the huge bruises and cuts with a gentle touch. "Tell me what happened!"

Orion pushed her hands away gently. "If you must know," he said with an exaggerated sigh, "I got into a fight with one of the Neville's plants this morning."

Daphne continued to stare at him, completely nonplussed. "Neville's plants?" she repeated as if she had heard him wrong.

Orion glared at her as if daring her to laugh. "Yes, Neville's plants. He has some blood-thirsty suckers in his corner of the dorm, and I tripped over them on the way to the bath this morning."

Daphne couldn't help it. The mental image was too much. She let out a small giggle, and Orion continued to glare at her. "It's not funny," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Noting his mutinous expression, Daphne attempted to stifle her giggles. "I'm sorry," she said, covering her mouth with one hand and reaching for him with the other. Orion shuffled away from her, and she rolled her eyes at him. As tempted as she was to stick his feet to the floor with a sticking charm, she waved him back over. "Come here, you big baby."

Orion huffed, but allowed her to take his hand in one of hers. Raising her wand, she cast a healing charm at his hand. They watched as the cuts mended immediately and the bruises disappeared altogether. Reaching for his other hand, she waved her wand again. "There. Good as new."

"Why, thank you, my lady," Orion said, bowing before her and extending his hand to her. "Shall we adjourn to more comfortable surroundings?"

Daphne ignored the pang in her chest at his words as all of the confusion and terror of the morning came back to her. She would never know what it would be like to have a true bond. To be called someone's Lady with affection and love. On the chance that her Father actually did sell her to a wizard to be bonded, Daphne doubted that they would be the kind, generous sort. No, they would be nothing like Orion. Shackling her fears and replacing her mask, she took his hand and allowed him to tuck it into his arm.

"What are you doing in this corridor anyways?" he asked as they moved back towards the main part of the castle.

"I was taking a walk before you rudely interrupted me."

As they disappeared down the hall, a figure appeared in the doorway of the classroom that Daphne had been about to enter. "Curse you, Black," the voice muttered. "Curse you."

* * *

The day of the Slytherin versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match dawned and everyone was excited to take a small break before the last push of school. Daphne was probably the only one in the school who wanted time to slow down. She had never looked forward to a holiday less. However, she had so many things to do, she could hardly afford the time to be sad.

"Lavinia!" Daphne called from across the room. "For heaven's sake, go put on another cloak. You'll freeze!" The girl in question flushed and ran back to her room. Daphne eyes fixated on a brown haired boy with glasses. "Alastair, if you don't stop acting like a little fool and sit down, I will ensure that you miss every Quidditch match for the next six years."

"Ouch," Blaise winced as Alastair Birmingham threw himself into the first opening on the couch that he found. "That's a long Quidditch ban for someone who has simply pulling some girl's pigtails."

The look Daphne gave him could have frozen solid ice. "He set his dorm mate's pants on fire before he decided to chop off half of Maria Falcon's hair. With a Severing Charm."

Blaise whistled. "Point taken." He looked at his watch and waved down Lucas Rosier, his protégé and fifth year Slytherin prefect. "Start leading them down the pitch," he ordered. "I don't know how Draco did this for years," he murmured to her. "Being a prefect is exhausting."

Daphne watched Germaine Richards light his own robes on fire and resisted the urge to curse the entire room.

Twenty minutes later, the common room was empty. Even though it was freezing outside, everyone was going to the match. Daphne did one last check to ensure that the last snake was out of the dungeons before exiting herself. She had sent Blaise ahead with the middle of the group as he had been more inclined to go to the match than she was, and because he was meeting Padma in the stands. As Hyacinth was the only one in their group to actually play Quidditch, the other three had had no problems rooting for her year after year. The House Cup on the other hand was a fierce rivalry. Gryffindor was usually at an advantage because they had won the Quidditch Cup for the last 6 years, but the other houses always put up a fight. Last year, Padma had led the Ravenclaws to victory, and the other three were looking to topple her this year.

Daphne had just made it out to the shadowy entrance of the Pitch when she heard the fervent roar of the crowd. The match was starting! Lengthening her strides, she noticed that she was the only one still lingering underneath the stadium. Ronald Weasley, who was commentating for this game was announcing the players for the Slytherin team. "FLYNN. ROBERTS. MASON. BARTON. CRABBE. GOYLE. AND CAPTAIN DRACO MALFOY!" A massive cheer went up in stadium again, and Daphne smiled. She had just placed her hand on the bannister to ascend the steps to the box where she and her friends always sat when stars exploded in her eyes and everything went black.

* * *

When she managed to regain consciousness, she immediately wished she hadn't. Her head felt as if it were splitting open in two and everything in her vision was swimming. Dizzy and disoriented, she clutched at the ground and closed her eyes. Reaching up slowly, she touched the back of her head gingerly and hissed as her fingers came into contact with warm, sticky liquid. She was bleeding.

"Good, you're awake."

Daphne blinked some of the stars away from her eyes and tried to focus on the figure in front of her. The voice was decidedly male and not very familiar. "Come now, darling. Open your eyes."

Daphne grimaced at the term of endearment. The emotion behind it was cold and almost mocking. In all of the years that Daphne had lived with her Father, she learned that that tone usually accompanied someone not to be trifled with. "Who are you?" she whispered, fighting the nausea.

"I said. Open your eyes!" Daphne's head cracked sideways as her assailant slapped her hard across the face. Pain exploded on the left side of her face, but she forced her eyes open. Only to find herself face to face with Stephen Cornfoot- seventh year Ravenclaw and the man she had said she wouldn't touch with a ten-foot broomstick. For good reason. Cornfoot was 5'11" and stocky with short cropped red hair and blue eyes that were glinting at her with hatred. Compared to the other Ravenclaws who were usually even tempered, Cornfoot was a wild card; however, she would have never imagined in a million years that he would be capable of this.

Cornfoot grabbed her roughly under her chin and bent to look at her. "There are those pretty eyes," he murmured in a tone that made Daphne's skin crawl.

Daphne shrieked and made to slap his hands away from her face, but Cornfoot blocked her arm easily and grabbed her by the throat. Daphne choked on her air as he squeezed. "Don't do that again," he said menacingly, shaking her.

Daphne clawed at his hands, but she could get no purchase. Shaking her once more, he dropped her to the ground and she wheezed. Daphne fumbled for her wand, but it was not in the pocket of her robes.

"I assume you're looking for this," Cornfoot said, waving her wand in her face. Daphne made to grab it, but he uttered a curse, and she was flung back against the wall.

She fought to remain conscious. "What do you want?" she asked, feeling so alone and helpless. This didn't make any sense. What had she ever done to him?

"I would think that would be obvious," he said, putting her wand into a pocket of his robes. "I want you. I've been hunting you for weeks, but that idiot Black was always at your side." His eyes held an unholy gleam. "No longer. Now you'll be mine, and when I'm through, no one else will have you."

* * *

Orion could not help but feel that something was terribly wrong. He sat with his Gryffindor teammates who were competing to see who could come up with the most creative insults to hurl at the Slytherins. "You're missing all the fun, Orion!" Sean McAlister, a sixth year and one of his Beaters, said. "Come on!"

Sean's younger brother and his partner on the field, Paul rolled his eyes. "You haven't come up with a single one," he retorted, adjusting his earmuffs. The brothers, while not as formidable as the Weasley twins, were still a force to be reckoned with. With another year of experience, they would be near unstoppable.

"Don't be such a spoilsport," Nadine Lovell, a fifth-year and Chaser on their squad, told Sean, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're just upset that Hyacinth is rooting for the Slytherins."

Sean blushed. "Well she shouldn't be consorting with the enemy!"

"The enemy is her fiancé," Ginny Weasley, their last Chaser, said dryly. "I'd like to see you try and stop her."

Orion ignored the byplay and tried to focus his senses. Closing his eyes, he flexed his magic core and sent tendrils reaching for the unknown surge. Magic sensing was one of the Black family magics, rare and only taught to the heirs of the family. It had several different applications, but one of the most important was to protect loved ones from harm. If any family member were in danger, the lord of the family would be able to detect the pulse of desperate magic.

Through his magic, he could see a swirl of deep purple and silver near the Gryffindor Locker Rooms. Snapping his eyes open, he whirled around and drew his wand. _Daphne._

* * *

Cornfoot had literally grabbed her by the front of her robes again, and was in the process of ripping them apart. Daphne, dizzy and weak, fought as hard as she could, but intense fear pooled in her stomach and stuck in her throat. She screamed and scrambled to find anything to use as a weapon.

The door to the locker room exploded open. Orion stepped through with a face that could have been hewn from granite and with dark, murderous intent in his eyes.

"Get away from her!" he snarled, slashing his wand and sending Cornfoot into the wall with a sickening crash. Another violent wave send Cornfoot and Daphne's wands sailing through the air. After years of catching quaffles, two wands were nothing. Orion caught them in one hand and deftly pocketed Daphne's. He held his wand high in his right hand and adjusted his grip on Cornfoot's with his left, advancing on him like a panther about to eat its prey.

"You dare attack Lady Daphne, Heiress to House Greengrass, and my beloved. The woman who will be the next Lady Black?" His words were low and filled with poison and anger. Orion waved his hand, and shackles appeared out of thin air to chain Cornfoot to the wall.

Blood dripped down the side of Cornfoot's head as the man spat out blood at Orion's feet. "The bitch isn't worth the hassle to bond with," Cornfoot sneered, looking over to leer at her. He licked his lips. "Only good for a quick tumble."

Orion transferred both wands to his right hand with a quick movement and jabbed them at his throat while grabbing the front of Cornfoot's robes, smacking his head against the wall in the process. "That is my future _**wife **_you are speaking of," Orion hissed. "You had better choose your next words wisely, for they may be your last."

Words that Orion had spoken months ago flashed in her mind. _If it __had been my fiancée, you wouldn't be able to find enough of him to fill a snuffbox. _"Orion," she gasped, her voice hoarse from screaming. "Don't kill him. Please." She was suddenly terrified for him. If Orion killed him, he would be sent to Azkaban and Daphne would be unable to bear it.

Cornfoot choked in Orion's death grip. "The lady wants mercy," he gasped, eyes still filled with ill intent. "Perhaps, I'll rape her and make her watch when I kill you."

Orion's eyes solidified into shards of ice and the room's temperature plummeted. His magic, filled with anger and darkness, swirled through the room like a tornado and shielded them from her view. Bright, white light flooded the room, and suddenly she knew no more.

* * *

There were voices whispering above her. Daphne struggled against the sedating potions that were running through her system and tried to open her eyes. She grunted softly with the effort, clenching her fists into her sides.

"Daphne!"

"She's waking up!"

"Someone get Madam Pomphrey!"

The faces around her bed, swam into focus. Hyacinth's hair was in a state of disarray and her plum winter robes were slightly wrinkled. Padma's face was drawn in a tight expression, stress lines visible in the corner of her concerned brown eyes. Hannah raced back to her side, her normally cheerful demeanor gone. She was pale and her blonde hair looked as if she hadn't taken care of it in days.

"Thank, Merlin, you're awake," Hyacinth murmured, grasping Daphne's hand tightly. There were tears in her eyes and Daphne grew concerned.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked, eyeing her three friends in turn.

"Four days," Padma replied, sitting gracefully in the chair she had vacated. She reached out to hold Daphne's other hand. "You've had us worried sick."

Hazy memories slammed through her, and she gasped, staring up at them wildly. "Where's Orion? What happened? Is he safe?"

The door to the hospital wing opened and shut with a bang and all four girls turned to look at the trespasser. Orion's boots clicked on the stone floor as he strode forward, hands behind his back. He was dressed in the formal robes of House Black, deep blue and cadet grey fabric draped his frame, making him seem taller. His cloak swirled around him, the Heir Black clasp shining at his throat. He stopped before them and looked at each of her friends in turn, until those shiny blue eyes caught hers and held. "I would like to speak with Lady Daphne alone."

His tone and voice held no room for argument. Even his sister stood immediately and left without another word. Orion waited until the door shut firmly behind them before drawing his wand and casting several intricate privacy spells.

"You've never used my title before," Daphne whispered, staring up at him with brand new eyes. Gone was the boy that she had grown up with, and in his place was a warrior ready to do battle for her, ready to murder for _her_. For her honor. For her love.

"In all honesty, I feel like this moment calls for titles and ceremony," Orion replied with a crooked grin as he knelt at her bedside. He withdrew his wand from its holster and placed it at her side.

"Why, me?" Daphne asked, her voice barely audible.

Orion titled his head and stared at her. "It's always been you," he whispered, taking her hand. "Always. Don't you know, Daphne? I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I have protected you for _years_." He shook his head and looked away. "I never dreamed that you would ever love me in return. In your search for your bonded, my name never crossed your list. Not once."

There was a wealth of hurt and pain in his voice, a vulnerability that she had never heard before. And she had put it there. Tears pricked her eyes as she finally admitted the truth. "You were never on the list, because I loved you too much to subject you to marry someone who didn't deserve your love. I would never manipulate you into that situation. I love you and wanted you to be happy. Even if it wasn't with me."

Blue eyes pierced through her, seeing her very soul. "My love, I realized last year that I could never be happy without you. So I dedicated my everything I had to ensure your protection and happiness."

"What do you mean?"

"The day in the library when I asked you to cover for me, I cornered Jonathon Wyndham and persuaded him that Miss Dunbar had a fortune just as a vast as yours and a temperament that would suit him better. When I found you in the abandoned third floor corridor, I had just beaten Seamus Finnigan in a duel for your honor. I-" Here his voice broke a little. "I was almost too late to save you from Cornfoot."

"But you did save me," Daphne murmured, lifting her hand to his chin and forcing him to look at her again. "I told you that I am not some weak miss in distress that needs saving."

"And I love you too much to allow you to destroy yourself when someone can save you. I am not above ignoring your wishes in order to save you from yourself."

Daphne swallowed thickly. "I owe you a debt for saving my life. I can't repay you for that."

Orion covered her hand that was still on his cheek with his own. "I believe that one debt cancels another."

Daphne's eyebrows rose into her hairline and she stared at him. He had given her an unnamed favor weeks ago. It was almost as if he knew that she would be too proud to ask for help. That sneaky…

She cleared her throat and smiled at him. "Orion Sirius, Heir of House Black, I call upon the favor that you owe me, Lady Daphne, Heiress of House Greengrass."

Orion gazed at her softly. "What would you have me do, my lady?"

"Love me," she whispered. "Be my protector forever and always, and never forget that I am yours as much as you are mine. For I will give you everything that I have, everything that I am, and everything that I will be."

Blue met violet. "Is that all?" he whispered, stroking her hair.

"No," she said, clutching at the fabric of his robes. "I wish you to kiss me."

Orion grinned. "Well, far be it from me to deny you anything," he said, drawing her to him. When his lips touched hers, all feelings of doubt and fear fled from her mind.

Daphne didn't notice until much later that a beautiful diamond and sapphire bracelet with matching engagement ring had somehow found its way onto her left wrist and finger. But quite honestly, she was too happy to mind.


End file.
